Resurgent Stuttgart host high-flying Hertha
Believe it or not, VfB Stuttgart are the Bundesliga's most in-form side at present, and they will be looking to continue their astonishing run when they welcome Hertha Berlin to the Mercedes-Benz Arena on Saturday (kick-off 15.30CET/14.30GMT).
Watch: Frankfurt 2-4 Stuttgart MD20 highlights
Unbeaten in their last six league outings, and having won all of their last four, Jürgen Kramny's charges have stormed up the table in recent weeks and, now in 12th place, occupy their highest position yet this season.
Standing in their way of a fifth straight win are high-flying Hertha Berlin, who are continuing to keep a firm grasp on third spot and will be eager to return to the capital still in a UEFA Champions League qualifying berth.
History
Matchday 4 rewind: Hertha 2-1 Stuttgart
Goals: 1-0 Haraguchi (14'), 1-1 Sunjic (36'), 2-1 Lustenberger (45')
Watch: Full match highlights
Matchday 21 - match facts
- Both Stuttgart and Hertha are currently six games unbeaten, making them the league's two most in-form teams.Stuttgart have won four in a row for the first time in almost five years.If Hertha make it seven consecutive games without defeat, they would equal the record they set under coach Pal Dardai back in spring 2015.Stuttgart are the only side to have won all of their Bundesliga fixtures so far in 2016.In their seven games under Kramny, VfB have already picked up more wins (four) than in the 13 games under his predecessor Alexander Zorniger (three).Hertha have already earned more points so far this season (35) than they did in the whole of the 2014/15 campaign.Former Stuttgart forward Vedad Ibisevic made his Hertha debut in the reverse fixture, and recorded his first ever win against Stuttgart in nine meetings.Vladimir Darida covers more ground than any other Bundesliga player, with 13.1km per game his average. Stuttgart's Lukas Rupp is third on that chart, with 12.7km.Martin Harnik sprints more than anybody else in the Bundesliga, with an average of 39 per game.
Possible line-ups
Stuttgart: Tyton - Großkreutz, Schwaab, Niedermeier, Insua - Serey Die - Rupp, Maxim, Gentner, Kostic - Werner
Absentees: Didavi (suspended), Barba (muscular), Ginczek (light training)
Hertha: Jarstein - Weiser, Langkamp, Brooks, Plattenhardt - Lustenberger, Skjelbred - Darida - Haraguchi, van den Bergh - Ibisevic
Absentees: Allagui (knee), Kalou (thigh)